


Cull

by squit (orphan_account)



Series: Ambient [3]
Category: God's Own Country, God's Own Country (2017)
Genre: 8 percent of rams are "male-oriented", Artificial selection, Gen, cruel and unusual abuse of dialect, july 2003
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-31 00:53:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21026396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/squit
Summary: Johnny, age 11.





	Cull

The first time Johnny realised there was something wrong with him was when he was eleven, on a trip out with his dad. He’d been roused out of bed, sleepy and pink, to help pick up a young tup they were promised in exchange for lambing help early in the year. 

“Can’t do it.” said his dad’s friend when they arrived, trudging through muddy fields to where the tups were fenced. “That tup’s no good.”

Johnny had helped deliver many of the lambs, including the one they were supposed to have. His smaller fingers were helpful for manipulating and easing the passage of awkwardly positioned limbs.

The tup in question had a starburst pattern on its nose going up to its muzzle. He’d liked that one. It had tried to butt his hand once it got going, staggering around in wobbly circles.

“Might act different if he’s penned up with ewes.”

“I’ll ‘appen that’s it. But right now he won’t even look at one even if she’s crawled under him. Better not chance it.”

“Shame.” 

Johnny, his hands on the fence post, feet balanced on the lower railing, silent as a mouse.

“There he goes again, that randy bugger. Could have been a champion, now he’s destined for the dinner table.”

Johnny watched as the offending ram mounted a smaller, protesting one, his large and pendulous testicles interesting the way it had never been. 

“What are you fixing to get for him?”

“£70.”

Silence, the smell of cigarette smoke. “How about that one there?”

Johnny got off the fence and followed them.


End file.
